For example, a flare may not be dressed off completely on one side, leaving the illusion that the foot turns toward the flare.įurther diagnostics should help determine the cause of this horse’s conformation change. The hoof may also be trimmed in a manner in which he appears to have a hoof or leg deformity. At this age, the leg conformation should not change permanently from improper hoof “balance,” but such imbalance can cause the horse to try to compensate for the pain. Having said this, we certainly cannot rule out an imbalance in trimming and shoeing. It would not be surprising that chronic heel pain could lead to a change in conformation due to abnormal forces and leg use by the horse. We often see heel contraction and reduced hoof size, as well. They commonly develop a short, choppy gait due to reluctance to extend the stride that naturally would lead to a more aggressive heel strike. Horses with pain relating to this region often protect their heels. In this case, a previous diagnosis of pain related to the caudal heel or navicular region is probably a main key to the answer of this question. The horse could be shifting weight to the lateral/outside aspect of the joints.Īn example of this would be a horse with carpal arthritis, which often develops on the medial aspect of the joint first. A base narrow stance can be a dynamic change and could very well be a response to pain (i.e., possibly on the inside/medial side of each leg). A bilateral (affecting both sides) change from “turned out” to “turned in” is uncommon and interesting. Therefore, you can essentially rule out the common causes of growth-related distal limb deformation.
This change has clearly developed after skeletal maturity.
The horse in question has had a noticeable conformation change in a relatively short amount of time. For this reason, a foot should be managed in regard to the conformation after skeletal maturity. Many farriers and veterinarians recognize that trying to correct a deformity via shoeing after growth plates close can lead to pain and lameness. As horses age, the potential for this type of correction lessens. Owners often employ corrective or therapeutic farriery to help treat lower limb deformities in foals and weanlings. This would include very small amounts of bone growth and significant muscle development. However, there is a lesser degree of continued and slow growth through age 4 or 5. A horse is considered skeletally mature by age 2 or 3 in regard to growth plate closure. This age of maturity varies among breeds, as well as individually. Many angular and rotational deformities may be irreversible by the time the horse is skeletally mature. This is an angular deformity in which the lower leg bends outward (away from the midline) from the carpus. Foals very often have some degree of carpal valgus (knock knees) that self-corrects as the chest widens with growth. Once the growth plates are closed (finished growing), there is very little change or correction that can be done-at least in a conservative fashion. The bones’ growth plates can develop abnormally and lead to angular limb deformities. The front fetlock and knee (carpus) can have flexural, angular, or rotational deformities. There are many recognized possible conformation faults in the lower forelimbs. For example, a horse with straight, “posty” hind legs may be less able to perform a sliding stop or a rollback turn.
Conformation can also be a major determinant of an individual’s athletic ability. We evaluate it in the show ring, the sale ring, the foaling pasture-everywhere. Conformation is a highly judged trait in horses.
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